Selected Excerpts from MahA VidvAn Sri U.Ve. PerukkAraNai Swamy ' ThiruppAvai Monograph'
 

Twenty seventh Pasuram (KUdarai vellum seer Govindha..)

The Paavai Nonbhu is nearing completion. Andal thinks about SanmAnam (sambhAvanai) from the Lord for the Gopis ,who observed this Vratham. Upanishad BhAshyakArar describes the prayer of Gopis of whom ANDAL is one , this way:

" ThvAmm gathvA vrathOpakaraNam sarvam sampAdhya sarva jana slAganIya SambhAvanA-roopENa asmAbhi:
prApthavyAn bahumAnAn vijn~yApamA:"

( We have arrived at the foot of Your bed and  have received all the accessories for the celebration of the Vratham and seek the sambhAvanais that we should be eligible for , which are praised by all the people of the world ).

Koodi irunthu kuLirnthElOrempAvAi: "SanghI-bhUya sthithvA  hrushtai: ithyartha: , BhOgyam ithyartha:"

( Koodiirunthu aananthatthudan bhujikka kadavathu is the prArthanai ).

JnaanyAchAryAr points out that in the "MaalE maNivaNNA " paasuram that preceded today's paasuram , the Gopis  referred to Svaroopa Siddhi ( AathmA's svaroopam to perform kiamkaryam always to the Lord as His servant).  He says that in today's paasuram , the alankAram for  them (who completed the Vratham) is described.

PBA Swamy explains that "MaalE MaNivaNNA " paasuram announced the Gopis receving Sankham , PaRai , PallANDu- isaippAr , ViLakku , Kodi and VidhAnam .These five are a few of  the many blessings that are attained in parama Padham as revealed  by Swamy NammAzhwAr in His "SoozhvisumpaNi Muhil" pathikam:

(1)" KaaLangaL valampuri kalanthengum isaitthana" : Sankham
(2)" ThUriyam Muzhakkina" : PaRais/ BhEri Vaadhyams
(3)"Thodarnthengum thOtthiram sollinar ":,Vaazhthinar Mahizhnthe:    PallANDu Isaippar
(4)"NiRai Kuda ViLakkamum mathimuka madanthayar yEnthinar     vanthE : kOla ViLakku
(5)"MaamaNi MaNtapatthu": VidhAnam that hides the ceiling/sky

PBA Swamy points out that the "Koodarai Vellum " Paasuram elaborates further on the Upanishadic utterances regarding
Muktha-BhOgAvaLis ( the items of enjoyment of a Mukthan in parama Padham of the Dhivya dampathis).

Additional Significance of this Paasuram (adiyEn):
**********************************************
The Govindha Naama SankIrthanam starts first in this paasuram ( Koodarai vellum SEER GOVINDHAN) and reaches
a crescendo during the next two paasurams :"KURAIVONRUMILLAATHA GOVINDHAA" in "KaRavaikaL pin  senRu " paasuram and " iRRai paRai KoLLvAnananRu KANN GOVINDHA  " in "SiRRam SiRukAlE" Paasuram. The Phala Sruthi is sung in ANDAL's own words ( Bhattar PirAn Godhai Sonna) in the FINAL , Vangak Kadal Paasuram.Until the final (30th)
Paasuram ,the Gopis were at the front end awakening their fellow Gopis, conversing with the occupants of Nandha Bhavanam and finally addressing the Lord Himself. The paasurams were Gopi-Mukham .

The greatness and the myriad meanings of the Name ,GOVINDHAN is discussed in detail in an earlier posting along with the Mahimai of the Name , "Godhai" for ANDAL along Vedic lines (Three postings in Bhakthi List Archives : December 22, 1996).

Literal Meaning of this Paasuram ( Dr.Raghavan):
**********************************************
(The exultation of the Gopis is expressed by them , when the Lord listens to their appeal and fulfills their desires). Oh Lord GovindhA ! You have the benign supermacy of winning over Your opponents. We shall get the drum (paRai) from You ,the sakthi to sing eulogies about You.Thus, we get the reward of great eclat and glory of all the worlds. We will adorn ourselves with many
ornaments: bracelets,shoulder ornaments ,ear-studs and rings, ornaments in the form of flowers (at the vertex of the ear) , anklets et al. We will wear new clothes(as You give us Your divine company ). (getting Your personal contact)we will be very joyous,
eat food prepared using milk with sumptuous ghee -- (a) that envelops it, and (b) that is flowing so much as to spill over (through one's forearm) upto our elbows , when one eats a morsel of food ( ksheerAnnam ). (Through the contact with You) We shall ever be united and thus become cool in heart and stay joyous.

The inner Meanings Of Padhams (different Commentators)
*******************************************************
In this paasuram, the Gopis request the boon of Saayujyam that is a boon beyond SaalOkyam , SaamIpyam and Saaroopyam . Upanishads describe Saayujyam as the highest of boons for a Mukthan and refers to it with " sOsnuthe" or saha BhOjanam
of the aanandham of Sri Vaikuntam with the Lord.

KoodAr:

These , who are not with the Lord are of four kinds :

(a) those with no Jn~Anam at all about EmperumAn
(b)Those who chase after material things/uNdiyE udayE uhanathavar
(c)Those who do not comprehend the soulabhyam (ease of access) guNam of the Lord and stay away from Him
(d)those , who can not stand His vaibhavam and are resentful( maayayA apahrutha Jn~AnA: aasurIm BhAvamAsthithA:).These
are dhvEshis like SisupAlan .

KoodArai vellum seer GovindhA : With His anantha kalyANa gunams(seer) ,the Lord wins them (vimukhAs)all over , one by one  He has different prescriptions as Viadhya Veera Raaghavan for each of the vimukhA patients though His The guNams like
Souryam , Souseelyam , Soundharyam . Even IndrA , who sent a deluge of rain at Govardhanam ended up recognizing
the Supermacy of the Lord & performed Govindha- PattAbhishEkam .Govindhan defeats the KoodAr and is defeated in turn by the Koodinavar through their Bhakthi/ prapatthi anushtAnams. He becomes YathOkthakAri to those
devotees(Koodinavar).

Through the speech of Gopis , ANDAL points out that the Lord incarnates to bring back the erring Jeevans under His sway ;they stayed away earlier from Him and suffered as a result of their separation from Him . He could not bear with their sufferings . They(vimukhAs) observe later (thru a sadAchAryan) upAya anushtAnam (prapatthi) and get rewarded with parisukaL (SammAnam) that are coveted by the people of world ( yaam perum sammAnam nadu puhazhum parisinAl).

Loka VilakshaNa sanmAnams(Abhinava Desikan): Five objects are mentioned here , which have links to the SanmmAnams
that a Muktha Jeevan obtains in Sri Vaikuntam:

The five hundred apsaras women greeting the muktha Jeevan with five different presents( satham mAlA hasthA: satham anjana
hasthA; satham chUrNa hasthA; satham vAsO hasthA; satham phaNa hasthA:)at the other side of VirajA river.Then the " palkalanum aNivOm " experience happens to the Muktha jeevan through absorbtion of 'the Lord's divine fragrance and Jn~Ana
vikAsam ( tamm Brahma gandha:pravisathi , Brahma tEja: pravisathi, Brahma yasa: pravisathi). The eight atributes are gained by them at this stage( apahathapApmA vijarO vimruthu: VisOkha: vijigathsOapipAsa: sathya kAma: sathya sankalpa:). They do not age, they conquer death and are freed from hunger, thirst et al. They enjoy BrahmAnandham ( paal SOru mooda ney peythu muzhankai vazhi vaarak koodiyirunthu kuLirnthu). Associated with the nectar of anubhavam (paramAnnam)of the dhivya dampathis, they enjoy the company of other Muktha Jeevans.They enjoy this rarest of rare ShADguNyAnnam and accompanies the Lord , wherever He goes (KaamAnnI Kaamaroopi anusancharan). They enter the cool , nectarine pond of BrahmAnubhavam and are filled with bliss (yEsha Brahma pravishtOsmi greeshmE seethamiva Hrudham).

Until now, BhagavathArAdhanam ( maanasIka and Bahir AaarAdhanam :ijyai/yAgam) were referred to in the paasurams.In this paasuram ,the anuyAgam (antharyAmyAradhanam) is celebrated (Bhunjan chinthaya GOVINDHAM) . Those who consume SaathvIka aahAram with the rememberance of Govindha naamam (according to aahAra niyamam )get the benefits of
satthva-JnAnam and unceasing rememberence of the Lord ( Aaahara Suddhou sathtva Sudhdi: , sathva suddhou dhruvA Smruthi:).Govindhan , the GuNa Poornan (seer Govindhan) grants them  that boon .The BhOgya- BhUthars (BhakthAs) join with the BhOkthA( the EmperumAn) and enjoy the Saha BhOjanam described by KoushidhIki Upanishad in a state of never ending union with Him.

The Feasting referred to Here (PerukkAraNai Swamy)
***************************************************
The first five paasurams of ThiruppAvai are about the rules of the nOnpu and the state of preparation.From the Sixth to Fifteenth , it is for the awakening of fellow-gOpis. The 16th paasuram is connected with the arrival of the gOpis at the Lord's house (NaayakanAi). In this count, "MaalE maNivaNNA " paasuram becomes the eleventh .It symbolizes EkAdasi, the day of
UpavAsam (fasting). The Twelfth one ( Koodarai vellum Seer GovindhA ) denotes DhvAdasi, the day to break fast and feast .The nOnpu is for feasting on DhvAdasi day after observing the vratham . AndAl seems to be saying to the Gopis to present ther naivEdhyam of KsheerAnnam (akkaara Vadisil) to the Lord (of ThirumAlirumchOlai):

"nooRu taDA niRaintha AKKAARAVADISIL SonnEn
 yERu ThiruvudayAn inRu vanthivai koLLUnkolO"

NamO NaarAyaNA !
 

Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr ThiruvadigaLE Saranam ,
Sarvam KrushNArpanam asthu
RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan

Web page kaimkaryam by R.Venkat